If I am going to be honest here, I will admit that climate change feels too far off and inconvenient for me, and most other people like me. There have always been efforts to spread awareness, but in most cases, people believe that spreading awareness is “good enough”. The entire point around spreading awareness is to eventually take action and produce change. However, climate change is a global issue and whatever change you take won’t feel meaningful. To add on, many people will say that climate change is inconvenient and that the rich people should combat climate change. I believe that in my community, Ladue, we are stuck in the phase in between spreading awareness and taking action for ourselves. As a result, I encourage all students to do some of the following: use more environmentally friendly light bulbs, waste less food, and to advocate for a school run by renewable energy. 

First of all, students and their families should look into using more environmentally friendly light bulbs because LED light bulbs and Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are not only better for the environment, but they are more convenient for the general public. According to the Department of Energy, the US estimated that LED light bulbs could have reduced the national energy consumption for lighting by 29% by 2025. To add on, studies have shown that LED light bulbs use up to 80% less energy than conventional incandescents while also being cheaper. There are constant concerns over the cost of going eco-friendly, but in this case, it will cost less to protect the environment. The issue with incandescent bulbs is that they create high levels of landfill, but Compact Fluorescent light bulbs are found to be 4 times as efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. 

Secondly, the students at Ladue High School should make a conscious effort to waste less food by producing less and eating as much as one produces. Most of the time, wasting food is viewed without much regard or meaningful attention because many middle and upper class citizens, especially in Ladue, are able to obtain more food instead of spending resources to waste less food. The first step is to understand the importance of wasting less food. According to Project Drawdown, addressing the amount of wasted food was the third most impactful solution to climate change. To add on, in the US, we waste up to 40% of our food supply, which accounts for 19%-29% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. As the second biggest city in Missouri, we should also incentivize our government and state to partake in food waste bans because it can mitigate waste, boost economic activity, help with food insecurity and help our climate at the same time. 

Finally, students should look into powering their school with renewable and environmentally friendly energy. To start off, solar energy is a prime example of renewable energy that can also be cost efficient and beneficial to both the students and the staff. For example, solar panels can increase the value and according to a study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, solar panels increased the value of a property by about $15,000. To add on, even low solar resource places, such as Alaska and the Northwest, can experience cost savings despite the lack of sun in those areas. Proving that a place like Ladue High School can successfully implement solar panels to power the school with efficiency. 

In conclusion, the people of Ladue High School should definitely look into buying more environmentally friendly light bulbs, waste less amounts of food, and to look into powering the city with more renewable methods, such as solar and wind power. Not only are these options very cost friendly, but they can also improve our city’s employment and energy efficiency. There is a myth that in order to combat climate change, you must spend lots of money and time. However, these 3 actions I have listed for you take into consideration the desires and the needs of the students.